Couch-bed.



w PATENTED. DEC. l0, 1907. P. S. SPRAGUE.

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APPLIOATION FILED 5111111223, 1907.

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COUCH BED.

. `APPLIQATION FILED SEPT. 23. 1907.

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I l NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN S. SPRAGUE, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF CNE-HALF TO CARL OSCAR HASSELBARTH, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

COUCH-BED.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application lled September 23.1907. Serial No. 394,204.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FRANKLIN S. SPRAGUE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Somerville, in -the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couch-4 Beds, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to that class of couch-beds which are constructed of metal, and which are adapted to be extended horizontally for use as a double bed and to be contracted into position for use as a single bed or couch, the couch-bed consisting` of two longitudinal sections, one of which, the

j line with the joints in the end-bars, and

whereby this may be accomplished with economy and simplicity in the construction of the couch-bed.

The nature of the invention is fully described in detail below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved couch-bed extended for use as a bed, the central portion being broken out transversely across the two sections in order to 4better illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same in the extended position illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the parts in the position assumed when the bed is to be used as a couch or a single bed. Fig. 4 is a cross vertical section of the same.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The stationary section of the bed consists of the end-bars (that is the bars at the head and foot of the bed) 10, preferably of angleiron, the curved head and foot pieces 1 1 of the general U-shape shown and preferably made of tubular metal, the tubular cross-pieces 12 bolted at 13 to the vertical portions of the tubular head and foot pieces 11 and the hangers 14 bolted at 15 to the cross-pieces 13 and at 16 to the end-bars 10. I

In the movable section at opposite ends there are jointed end-bars preferably made of angle-iron, and each comprising a shorter bar 17 and a longer bar 18, each shorter bar being pivotally connected at its inner end at 19 to the adjacent end of the corresponding end-bar 10 in the stationary section, and the adjacent ends of the bars 17 and 18 being pivotally connected together at 20, the connection consisting preferably of a plate 21 rigidly secured at 22 to the longer end-bar 18 and pivotally connected at 20 to the shorter end-bar 17. The outer end of the portion 18 ofeach jointed end-bar is provided with a caster 23, and said outer end is furthermore provided with rigid legs 24 provided with casters 25 similar to the casters 26 in the lower ends of the leg portions of the head and foot-pieces 11.

The two portions 17 of the jointed endbars are connected by suitable tubular braces 27, and the two portions 18 of the A jointed end-bars are connected by suitable braces 28, and said braces 28 are connected at 29 with two braces 30 which are connected aty 31 with the legs 24.

. Secured to the end-bars 10 and 17, 18 is an yunbroken fabric 32, said fabric constituting with its supporting end-bars a whole and integral spring-bed-bottom.

When the device is in position for use as a double bed the parts are in the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the spring-bed comprising an entire and unbroken horizontal fabric. When it is desired to place the bed in position for use as a single bed or as a couch, the fabric 32 of the bed-bottom is grasped preferably at a point or points near the brace 27, with the eect of slightly lifting the shorter bars 17 near the joint and allowing the longer bars to double inward and, facilitated in their movement by the casters 23 and 25, to slip under the stationary portion of the bed, and to assume'the position indicated in Figs. 3 .and 4. In practice, a very gentle lifting of the fabric at the points mentioned serves to allow the casters 25 to quickly slip inward, the longer end-bars 18 to follow, causing the legs 24 to reverse their positions while the casters 23 allow the longer end-bars 18 to quickly follow the legs end-pieces 1'2.

stantly by the power of gravity facilitated by the slipping of the casters 25 andy 23. N ecessarily at the same time the portions of the fabric 32 which lie between the portions 17 of the jointed end-bars assume a vertical position, while the fabric which lies between the portions 18 of the jointed end-bars assumes the inclined position indicated. This inclined position is due to the fact that the outer portions 18 of the jointed end-bars are longer `than the portions 17;, and the effect on the legs 24 is to prevent themy from assuming a vertical position when the bedis folded, but to enable them toY assumey the inclined position illustrated in Figs. 3 and` 4', thus allowing them to extend' up by the sides of the flanges of the angle-shaped end-bars 10 without striking the horizontal portions of said end-bars. Of course if these legs eX- tended up vertically, as would be the case if. the portions 18 and 17 of the movable section of the bed were of equaly length, they would necessarily be too long to allow their casters to lie under the end-bars 10.

It will: be seen from the above that the portion of the fabric 32 which lies' between the bars 18 is swun entirely under the stationary portion of t 1 e bed, and that the portion of the fabric which lies between the bars 17" is swungdown in to a vertical' position without projecting beyond the front legs of the Hence although the fabric folds down it does not when in such folded position increase the width of the stationaryy portion of the bed', as the hinged mattress is necessarily folded back from the movable portion upon the stationary portion. When the bed is folded the rear side may lie snugly i scribed, a longitudinal stationary section, a

against the wall, there being neither fabric nor mattress to hang between it and thewall, and at the front edge, the fabric is. drawn tightly down and inward without projecting forward' beyond said edge.

The simplicity of the invention, due largely to the unequally divided jointed endbars in the movable section and the inclined legs when the bed is folded, prevents it from getting out of repair and enables it to be manufactured at a reasonable cost. The ease with which it can be operated whereby a slight lifting of the fabric causes the movable section to double up by the action of gravity. and fold under the stationary section, is partly due to the location of the caster at the outer upper edge of the movable section.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is v 1. In a couch-bed of the character described, a longitudinal stationary section,

to the inner edgeof the movable section than to the outer edge whereby said movable section is adapted to be swung under the stationary section with. its supporting legs' eX- tending upward in an inclined position.

2. Ibn a couch-bed of the character described, a longitudinal stationary section, a longitudinal movable section hinged -at its j inner edge to the outer edge of the stationary section and having jointed end-bars whereby the movable section comprises two longitudinal: par-ts pivotally connected at their adjacent edges, the inner one of the longitudinal parts of the jointed movable section being adapted to swing drown into a vertical'y position at the front edge of the stationary section, andthe outer one of the longitudinal parts of the jointedmovable section being adapted to. swing inward under the station- 1 ary section at a downwardly extending angle .and rest on the floor at its outer end.`

3. In a couch-bed of the character del scribed, a longitudinal stationary section., a `longitudinal movable section hinged at its j innerl edge tothe outer edge of the stationaryv section and having jointed end-bars whereby .the movabley section comprises two longitudinal parts pivotally connected at their adj acent edges, and casters secured to the outer side edge of the yjointed movable section.

4. In a couch-bed of the character de- `the movable section comprises two longitudinal parts pivotally connected at their adjacent edges, the joints in said end-bars being l'ocated at points which are nearer tothe in- 'ner edge of the movablesection than to the outer edge, and casters secured to the outer edge of the outer longitudinal part of the jointed movable sectionwhereby said movable section is adapted to be swung under the stationary section with its supporting legs extending upward in an inclined position. i

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presencev of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANKLIN S. SPRAGUE. Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, M. A. ATwooD. 

